The MOST important invention of mankind

[serryjw]

A&E asked this about 7 years ago. It was a special and many people debated it for weeks. I was (no ego involved!) the only one whom answered correctly with the number one choice.......I beleive its shines above all else....And your choice..If you remember the show.....don't spoil it for everyone else.

[Dookus]

1. I read an article a few years ago

claiming the transistor was the greatest invention.

[onecent]

2. The thermos, n/t

[Birthmark]

3. My opinion: Language.

[Cronus Protagonist]

4. Language

Simple as that.




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[serryjw]

8. Language is not an invention BUT

You are on the right track........expand your thoughts.

[NC_Nurse]

5. Sliced bread?

Remember that old saying? :D

Penicillin, the first antibiotic?

[spooked]

6. the wheel?

or could it be the computer?

[politicat]

7. the needle.

[mseltzer]

9. my guess

the printing press.

[yurbud]

10. internet

biggest advance in info sharing and boon to democracy.

[recovering democrat]

11. I remember the show and the answer

and I firmly agreed with the number one choice at the time.

[Kire]

12. If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.

Death only closes a man's reputation and determines it as good or bad.

[Deja Q]

13. The nuclear bomb

?

[Goldeneye]

14. writing?

[troubleinwinter]

15. I'd say the Gutenberg press.

[serryjw]

16. Congrads......You win the prize......at least my respect!

How did you think of it?

[ChairOne]

24. That's a "duh"..... nothing else is remotely close....

Steak Oscar is a good 2nd though....

http://www.komotv.com/recipes/printstory.asp?id=945

[troubleinwinter]

29. Well, it was the invention that made

'knowlege' more widely available to the "masses". The biggest advancement in communication of ideas and information.

Many of the other ideas on this thread are "developements" (like language or farming), rather than "invention".

[Lautremont]

17. I believe it's been upstaged since then by...

that two-wheeled electric buggy thing that certain intrepid postmen use. I can't remember the name of it - oh yeah, the Segway - but it was deemed the world's most important invention at the time.

I would disagree, but popular opinion is popular opinion.

[Booster]

38. Until they attach a little wagon to the Segway, it will never sell.

How's a woman supposed to carry home the groceries. Besides that, I'd love to have one.

[Ready4Change]

18. Scientific Method? Or is that not "hardwarey" enough?

.

[Drifter]

19. It's gotta be the pocket fisherman

hands down.

Cheers
Drifter

[bvar22]

20. Gosh! I kinda thought it was....

VELCRO

[charlyvi]

21. The printing press?

[serryjw]

23. Why are you surprised?

n/t?

[AngryAmish]

22. The Mandible Claw

[bleedingheart]

25. The beginning of farming and domestication

allowed men and women the ability to plan ahead for their basic needs and freed up time for them to think of other ideas/inventions.

[OxQQme]

28. Except agriculture

wasn't an 'invention'. The oldest know printing presses were cynidrical rollers that were embossed and left an impression in soft clay and handwriting was done with a stylus. Those clay tablets tell a history that seems to be un-acceptable today. Of 'gods and goddesses' who came down from the heavens and brought us all that we now call knowledge.
Draining the flood waters from the Fertile Crescent by the use of canals and subsequent cultivation was shown to 'us' by 'them' as recorded.
Poo-poo at yer own risk. History is written by the conquerers. How many here believe in ET imtervention?

[AtTheEndOfTheDay]

26. AC power generation

and the AC induction motor courtesy Nikola Tesla. Under rated genius who did far more for humanity than over rated Edison could dream. Tesla makes life as we know it possible.

[alfredo]

27. The bong?

The remote is a close second.

[yella_dawg]

31. Bullshit!

The bong is waaay cooler than the remote.

[meisje]

34. What about a remote bong, You could smoke it like a flute

and change the channel at the same time. Maybe that's too complicated?

[yella_dawg]

35. This requires extensive research...

I'll get back to you in a few years.......

[alfredo]

41. but if you

have a bong and no remote, it can be a very difficult evening.

[yella_dawg]

50. If you use a bong correctly,

eventually, you just don't care about the remote. Hell, you don't even remember the remote.

[alfredo]

53. Sounds like you have

some experience.

[jayfish]

30. Water Desalinization. -NT-

Jay

[ben_packard]

32. Gotta be printing/pressing?

[Stop_the_War]

33. Writing is the most important invention

[mcscajun]

36. I'll second that one!

If it weren't for writing, you can forget Gutenberg and literature and the Internet.

Of course, there's a soft spot in my heart forever for the folks who brought us Air Conditioning. Maybe not the most important invention EVER, but certainly the most important of the 20th Century.

[senegal1]

37. But the second most important one is duck tape.

[mcscajun]

40. Agreed. Duct Tape is vital!

:)

[rustydog]

39. The on-off switch on a TV

[Just Me]

42. Self-awareness. eom

[sweetheart]

43. The legal entity and the rule of law

This would include a non-monarchy nation state, a limited company
and a legal citizen. As much as you might call these vapour, they
are critical underpinnings to everything in modern society.

[jdj]

44. shirts.

absolutely number one.

Primitive tribes almost always go topless.

Only when women put on shirts did men actually get their minds off breasts and get up and do something.

[Steely_Dan]

46. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[jmowreader]

45. Gutenberg's invention wasn't the "printing press"

Gutenberg invented movable type.

People had been printing with presses for many years before Gutenberg showed up, but the process was kinda laborious--you had to take a block of wood and carve every single letter into it, then hang the plate on your wine press (that's what they used) and ink it.

Gutenberg's innovation was making little blocks, each carrying one letter, and setting them into the form to create the page. Now you only needed one set of type to print anything you wanted.

[Steely_Dan]

47. Did you know...

...that the first "wheel" was actually a piece of jewelry? Kinds makes you think...

[yella_dawg]

52. Then, 18-wheelers

are a girl's best friend?? Who knew?

[porkrind]

48. Agriculture

helped us change from hunter-gatherers, and allowed us more free time and specialization. The rest was history. (get it. history! Damn I'm funny. :) )

[porkrind]

49. Oops, maybe language is the most important invention.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. It's a toss-up between duct tape and WD-40.

[DrWeird]

54. Odd that they'd pick on obsolete invention.

nt

[Spider Jerusalem]

55. The steam engine.

Which gave rise to the industrial age, enabled widespread use of machines capable of doing the work of many men, led to the "modern" world, etc...

And the printing press/moveable type, of course...